Both Tendulkar and Gavaskar are legends of Indian cricket, each having made significant contributions in their respective eras.
While Gavaskar laid the foundation for Indian cricket’s rise in the 1970s and 1980s, Tendulkar carried forward the legacy, becoming a global icon in the 1990s and 2000s. Their batting records, consistency, and the ability to perform under pressure have inspired generations of cricketers in India and around the world.
Gavaskar was the first player to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket. He held the record for the most Test centuries (34) for almost two decades before it was surpassed by Tendulkar.
It was in the first Test against Bangladesh at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka in the 2004 series that Tendulkar equalled Gavaskar‘s record of Test centuries.
The first Test of the two-match series saw Anil Kumble breaking Kapil Dev‘s record of 434 wickets to become India’s leading Test wicket-taker and the rise of Irfan Pathan who registered his first ten-wicket haul in Tests on the third day at the Bangabandhu Stadium in Dhaka in December 2004.
Pathan’s five-wicket haul in the first innings saw Bangladesh being bundled out for 184. From then on, it was the Sachin Tendulkar show all the way.
Sachin completed his 34th Test century to equal Sunil Gavaskar’s record of Test centuries and also went on to notch up his career-best Test score (248*).
Tendulkar, who was dropped when he was on 28 and 47, struck 35 boundaries in his knock and added 164 runs with Ganguly (71) for the fourth wicket and put up a 133-run stand with Zaheer (75) for the last wicket as India amassed 526 runs.
Pathan then wrapped up the match early on Day 4 taking 6/51 in the Bangladesh second innings as India won by an innings and 140 runs.
Tendulkar is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in cricket history and holds the record for the most runs in both Test and ODI cricket. He is the only player to have scored 100 international centuries (51 in Tests and 49 in ODIs).